The Beauty Beat: Top 10 Funky Nail Looks You Can Do At Home

Most people wouldn’t walk into their office job wearing neon colored eyeshadow, glitter eyelashes, and animal print everything. A lot of beauty experimentation (and self-expression) happens on the tiny canvas that is the nail. You can wear all those above looks on your nail and if your boss doesn’t like it, you can take it off right away with just a little nail polish remover!

Since we’re operating on a budget, we do our “nail art” at home a lot more than we wish, but in the process we’ve gathered together this list of our Top 10 Funky Nail Looks You Can Do At Home.

10. Animal Print

Photo by Frederick Brown//Getty Images

This is the easiest nail fix out there! Many nail companies are putting out stick-on nail polish with fun patterns. Sephora has a good brand, but we swear by these Sally Hansen Salon Effects. They last longer than normal nail polish and don’t require any dry time–just a steady hand.

Mix and match animal prints for fierce nails like those above!

9. Glitter Crescent

Photo by Valerie Macon//Getty Images

Instead of doing glittery tips like everyone else, reverse the process: put the glitter in the crescent part of your nails. Just combine a regular nail polish and a chunky eye catching glitter.

Our favorite color combo? This dark black-green from OPI called Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees and a few layers of Sephora‘s Only Gold For Me.

8. Mismatched Toes

Photo by Getty Images

Have trouble telling your left from your right? Or just love things quirky and mismatched? Painting your toenails two different colors is a subtle way (you can hide your toesies!) of being a color rebel.

We suggest two colors that are nothing alike for ultimate impact. This six color set of Neon colors from Kleancolor will give you plenty of mix and match options!

7. Mixed Metallics

Photo by Ethan Miller//Getty Images

We love the mirror quality of the mixed metallics of this manicure. While this is definitely a professional mani, with a little creativity you can simulate this look with different metallic colors for Sally Hansen’s Chrome collection.

6. Nude Crescent

Photo by Chris Jackson//Getty Images

If you want relatively normal nails, but want to add a little edge, take note from this manicure–leave the crescent of your nail nude while the rest is a bright, flattering red.

This look is glamorous, artistic, and way easier than it looks. All you need is a dark base color for your nails and a nail art pen. Nail art pens make it easier to make fine lines along your nails. Try an abstract stripe look which gives you more freedom to mess up. Hey, the line doesn’t have to be straight!

Get the same look with this black Sally Hansen Hard As Nails and silver nail art pen:

4. Random Color Nail

Photo by Charley Galley//Getty Images

We’ve seen girls all around town rocking this look and we think it’s adorable. Choose any two colors, pick symmetrical nails on each hand, and paint them a different color from all the rest of your nails!

3. Polka Dot Toes

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez//Getty Images

This look can be achieved the same way the Abstract Stripe look is achieved above. Just put on a dark base color, like the Sally Hansen black and create precise polka dots with a nail art pen. Use a tiny piece of paper as a ruler once the base color is dry and go in a horizontal or vertical direction.

2. Nude Glitter

Photo by Jason Merritt//Getty Images

Maybe this isn’t necessarily “art,” but we love the pairing of a chunky full-finger ring with a light coat of almost-nude glitter.

The combo of this gold-pink from OPI with this filigree ring from Nasty Gal is both flirty and funky.

1. Ombre Nails

Photo by Cindy Ord//Getty Images

OK, you might be thinking what we first thought when we saw this nail style, “I do this all the time…on accident!” Which we think is the main perk of the ombre nail. The lines can have a more “tie-dye/watercolor” effect so you have a lot more room to mess up.

Just use three complimentary colors that are just a few shades different than each other like these punchy purples above.

What is your favorite DIY nail art trick? Let us know in the comments!